The Lord's Acre - Fairview, NC

Young Farmers & Ranchers Kick off the Season

2011-03-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Cowan (bottom left) brings out a group from
Young Farmers& Ranchers to help dig beds and plant
peas.

More Montreat Men's Soccer

2010-09-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

Montreat Men's Soccer Gardens

2010-09-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

Austin Shattuck is like a son to my husband Franklin
and I and he recently encouraged his soccer team to
come help at The Lord's Acre. Twenty-one strong and fit
guys showed up and did three days of work in two hours!!
They dug a bed, pulled out all the old pole beans, weeded
thistle, readied the potato field for cover cropping and more.
Thanks guys. We see it as a challenge to UNCA and any
other soccer team out there who wants to live up to
Montreat's garden record.

The "destruction crew" pulls out pole beans.

This guy had been injured THAT day
and he still worked the entire time!

Summertime Crops

2010-09-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

We planted two varieties of edamame as an edible cover
crop and were blessed with an abundant harvest. Being a
legume, edamame takes nitrogen from the air and
"fixes" it in its roots, thus enriching the soil. Freesia
steamed them and took them to Food For Fairview to
familiarize folks with the unusual, yet high in protien, green
vegetable. Everyone who tried them, liked them and we plan
to grow more in 2011.

Cucumbers: Marketmore and Suyo Longs, reach high
for every bit of available sunlight. Suyo Longs are an un-
usual, Asian variety that is long and snake-like and has
soft prickles. They are sweet and virtually burpless and
seedless.

One of our many tomato varieties from Sister's Floribunda
nursery. These are Mountain Fresh, bred locally and very
disease resistant.

Crimson okra is not only productive, it's an ornamental
show-off.

Pink & Blue

2010-09-01T06:53:00.000-07:00

We've planted summer alfalfa and oats in half the old
potato area. Both have a bluish hue to them, especially
in early morning.

Volunteer cosmos come into their own on the flower border
now that the sunflowers have seen their glory days.

Cleome, or spider-plant, finally survived the summer heat
wave and is taking off. It's a very old-timey flower that
is often seen in country gardens.

A few muskmelons are filling out before colder weather hits.

The Dew Is On The.....

2010-09-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

Rake-head sports a raincoat in hopes it will be needed. Not
a cloud in the sky, though. We need rain.

A bed of Brussels sprouts is just taking off. These will get
chest-high and become sweeter when kissed by frost.

Purplette, a small, onion, is coming into
its own in this cooler weather.

We have a few cantaloupe and melon hills this year with
hopes of growing more in 2011. These Sugar Babies are
actually sporting "peach fuzz" that traps the morning dew.

Fire & Ice

2010-09-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

Jarrahdale & Kabocha winter squash, both from Johnny's
Selected Seeds, brightened our fields and now grace our drying
racks. Once cured, the baked flesh, is sweet and creamy and
is ready for use as a vegetable or in pies and pastries.

Baby Pam was our third variety for 2010. A small pumpkin,
this one's no jack-0-lantern. It, too, has sweet, dark flesh for
those hearty autumn pies and puddings.

View from underneath the drying rack.

Memories From A Summer Intern

2010-08-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

An internship at The Lord's Acre is not merely an internship; it is a whole community experience. In the spring, I signed up to learn how to grow food in a non-profit context, not knowing that I would enter one of the best jobs of my life. Throughout my experience, the staff and supporters of the garden supported me everyday in our shared pursuit of growing food and changing food systems. Very often we remarked that the friendships made at the garden would not have been possible any other way--I met so many people I would not have otherwise encountered, but with whom, in fact, I shared much in common. Living in community was one of the most beautiful parts of the internship. Sharing a meal at the end of a long day or a potluck during a work night enriched our relationships intentionally. Additionally, the opportunity to attend board meetings and write grants made me feel that I was not just a short-term intern, but a valued part of the organization. The partnerships I was able to build personally and professionally with food pantries and other partner organizations will carry on to future endeavors. I am grateful to The Lord's Acre and the individuals associated with it for a positive time rich with knowledge and good fun. I would recommend the internship to anyone interested in an experience that just begins at growing food.

July 2010

2010-07-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

We put up a shade cloth tunnel to start summer lettuce.
This variety, called Anuenue is from Hawaii.

The pole beans (left) are reaching tall and the winter
squash (background) is taking over.

Mallika waters inside the shade tunnel where less sunshine
means slightly cooler temps and less water evaporating.

Lately we've added many varietal signs.
These are in the pepper patch. Soon,
Steve will build us a roofed kiosk so we can
better display other information.

Meet The Talented Garden Staff 2010

2010-07-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

L-R: Susan & Franklin Sides (co-head gardeners), Kelley
(full-season intern), Freesia & Mallika (summer interns)
We are blessed to have these young women work so hard
for room, board, and experience. They invest themselves
into the project and it truly could not function without them.
Photo by: Pat Stone

Potluck before work. Steve & Pat in foreground, are board
members who also spend a great deal of time in the garden.
Next three photos by: Kelley

Freesia, dead-heading basil - a gift from Sister's Floribunda
Nursery in Bee Tree.

Kelley & Mallika stretch after a hard day's work.

Love Those Garden Trugs

2010-07-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

We're crazy about our harvest trugs from Lowes. They're
lightweight, they fold, mold, hold...
(The last dozen or so photos (from Ace, onward) were
taken by Mallika, one of 2010's awesome interns.
She took these with her I-phone!)

Today she was at the garden and I asked her to "write
down" the tools list for the new picnic table we need to
assemble. I quickly received an email with a "photo" of the
tools list. LOVE that younger generation!!!

Typical Harvest Day

2010-07-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

Jonathan & Bev - two loyal harvest volunteers.

The best part of the garden - harvest. Don't miss the fun.
We harvest Monday & Friday mornings from 7:30 - 10:00.

Lord's Acre Help & Fan Club

2010-07-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

Late June 2010

2010-07-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

Ace, our garden mascot, loves to ride to the garden each
morning with the wind in his hair. We haven't seen any deer
this year since we began bringing him to patrol the border.

Freesia - enjoying the breeze. Sometimes we take turns
riding in the back with Ace on hot days.

No telling what you'll find on harvest day.
Here's Kelley with "carrots in love."

"Red sky at night - sailor's delight." - but no rain in sight.
The garden's been so dry we water for hours each day.
Pray for rain.

Crops at The Lord's Acre

2010-07-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

Peppers - at least twelve varieties -
in two, no-till beds. We cut the winter rye
cover crop, laid it down and planted right
into the beds without digging. And they're
thriving.

One of the most used foods at the foodbanks is lettuce.
This year we've grown several types. A crisphead, Anuenue (a-newy-newy)
from Hawaii is our summer pick.

With over a dozen varieties of tomatoes - some heirlooms -
some hybrids - we have a huge range of fruits getting close
to ready. We spray every ten days or so with Surround and
copper mix and alternate with a fish emulsion foliar feed. Top
right, you can see one of the clips we're using from Johnny's
Selected Seeds for trellising. We're clipping them to a set-up
similar to that of pole beans. The dreaded lack of rain has
at least one benefit - we've seen only one plant with a little
early blight.

Overview a few weeks ago. We have a no-till bed in the
foreground between the two pepper beds (also no - till).
We're saving that bed for fall brassicas.

Tools & Their People

2010-07-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

Tilthing.

U-barring.

Hoeing.

Harvesting.

Art in the Garden

2010-07-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

Blue in the Garden

2010-07-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

Men in the Garden

2010-07-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

Women in the Garden

2010-07-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

Garden Hands

2010-07-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

Garden Feet

2010-07-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

Close-Ups.

2010-07-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Lily harvests from her garden. These went out to Food
For Fairview on Friday.

Mallika plants Vitania carrots.

Charlie goes retro.

Tucker before he heads to Chile.

Shadow Play

2010-07-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Nothing Happens Without "Irrigation Man"

2010-07-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

Franklin has spent untold hours over the past year and a
half, piecing together the irrigation system. He's getting close.

Here, Scott helps on a Wednesday night.

The main leader!

The end of another day of "playing with
water". Franklin's the man!!

Garden Beauties

2010-07-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

Calendula. Annual. Sturdy. Reliable. Medicinal.

Cosmos. Has become a weed. But a beautiful one.

Sunflowers. The offical flower of The Lord's Acre.

Echinacea. Medicinal. Perennial. Striking.

Harvest - Come Join Us

2010-07-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

Mallika washes the carrots.
We harvest on Monday mornings from 7:30 - 9:00 and on
Thursday evenings from 6:00 - 8:00 and on Friday
mornings from 7:30 - we're finished.

Kels washes fresh potatoes.

Steve makes short work of the carrot bed.

Mallika and Kels make those carrots glow.

We LOVE Our Veggies!!!

2010-07-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Remember Those Clothespins...

2010-07-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

with the red dots? The three who found them hiddden
in the garden got to squirt the rest of the crew. On such a
hot day, this was good news for all involved. The minute
we announced the "prize" though, all adults RAN for cover.

Grace in Action

2010-07-03T09:42:00.001-07:00

Eeewww. What's this?

The case of the disappearing broccoli bed.

Three tiers of labor.

It takes a village to take out the collards.

Grace Close Ups

2010-07-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

Scary but effective.

B.J. (left) found our fourth spear/projectile point in the
garden and our first one, this year. He kindly let us keep
it for our collection. His Sesame Street partner, is trying
to find a clothespin with a red dot. There were three of
these hidden in the garden.

Robot carrot man.

Beets as lip gloss.

Grace Community Builds Beds

2010-07-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hard Fun!

Hard Work!

A little organization, thanks to Steve Norris....

And Voila - garden beds!! In the new demonstration area,
we now have three square-foot gardening beds and one
wheel-chair bed, thanks to Grace youth.

Grace Community Does Potatoes

2010-07-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

Grace middle-schoolers came for two mornings in June to
tackle some of the hardest chores we had. Here, they dig Red
Chieftan potatoes and marveling at fact that you never
know what you'll find at the bottom of each plant.

World's smallest potato?

Nuts & Bolts

2010-06-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

Our birdhouse wall. The one on the far left has already
fledged one brood of wrens.

Our journal and spear (projectile) point shelf. B.J. from Grace
Community found our fourth spear point and the first
of this 2010 season and he was kind enough to let us keep
it for display. On the right is a "manure tea" barrel that we're
going to soak alfalfa pellets in. The resulting "tea" will give
plants a nitrogen boost.

Work boards - ever changing and essential.

We're always looking for more wheelbarrows. We have three
but large groups need at least six to get the work done. We also
take unusable wheelbarrows for decoration.

A Riot of Color

2010-06-19T14:43:00.000-07:00

Old-fashioned hollyhocks on the flower border.

Clover as an understory crop in the cabbage.

Rainbow Chard as an edible ornamental.

Zucchini flowers are coming on strong.

June 2010 in the Acre

2010-06-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

New door art. Found at Goodwill.

Second planting of pole beans.

More pole beans.
We're going to need help picking these when they're ready.

This past week we brought our first potato harvest to Food
For Fairview and Helpmate. Next week Trinity Pantry will
be added to the list.

We Love What We Do

2010-06-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

A bit scary but it's a jungle out there.

These guys made even the hardest work - FUN.

The most-asked question of the day: How do you
guys (garden staff) work this hard all the time????

Garden Guru

2010-06-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

Steve Norris, boardmember, instructs Grace's youth
in building raised-bed boxes for our demonstration
garden. By the end of the day we found page after page
of acolades to him in our garden journal.

Oak wood bends many a nail but this group is persistant.

Carpenter tip # 542. Keep an eye on your fingers.
She left with all her fingers intact.

Grace Community Gets to Work

2010-06-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

Grace middle schoolers at the end of a long, hot work day.
Those who found treasures hidden in the garden got to
squirt their fellow workers - a win-win for all.

The world's smallest potato?

Robot-carrot.

Beets made the best lip gloss.

The Lord's Acre Spreads the Word

2010-06-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

Lately we've been manning a table at local food events, this one's
at Hickory Nut Gap Farm's Plow Day. Here, Zach, Zack and Steve eat
Walter Harrill's Imladris ice cream while talking to folks about
the garden.

The Lord's Acre in May

2010-06-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

A wide view of the bed section of the garden. Here are our
spring crops in all their glory. We've harvested much collards,
mustard greens, peas, spinach, lettuce and some beets and turnips.

Part of the field-crop area. Here, we put in donated locust posts
for the tomat0 and bean beds. We're setting up drip irrigation here
and are also growing summer squash and maybe okra in this area.

A close-up of our cabbage. It makes a beautiful desktop background
for a computer.

Freesia will be with us for June and July. A student from Warren
Wilson College, she's been very helpful in the garden and in doing
research for us. Here she peels kohlrabi for our fundraiser potluck.

Spring into Summer

2010-06-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

Potato blossoms. We're getting ready to dig some taters soon.

Overviews of the garden at the end of May 2010.

The broccoli is heading up.

Thank You Fairview & Beyond

2010-05-15T18:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks. From the Wednesday Night Crew.

We need you. Come join us.
Wednesday nights from 6:00 - 8:30.
Starting May 27th - Thursday nights from 6:00 - 8:30
Friday mornings, starting May 28th, from 7:30 - until...

Scott Baxla, is even more tenacious than the Canadian thistle. Our potato hillers were having way too much fun. And Meggan knew how to make that hoe sing.

Wild Garlic Is No Match for the Peterson Kids

2010-04-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Teddy and sister, Lily, love to harvest our most prolific weed this year, wild garlic. We're thrilled that they're thrilled with the challenge.

Lily and Lily eradicate Canadian Thistle.

This wild garlic is headed for the dinner table, or so I've been told.

Warren Wilson Draws a Crowd

2010-04-25T17:35:00.000-07:00

While waiting for the Obamas to show this past Saturday
we cleared a bed of kale that had been planted last summer.
The snow cover helped this crop overwinter so well that we
were able to bring kale to Food For Fairview on three different
distribution days. Here, high school board member Zack (right)
and friend, Andrew, along with the Peterson family, tackle
the hard job of picking off every last leaf and pulling the tough
roots out of the ground.

Steve, also a board member, shows his students how to scythe a cover crop of winter rye and hairy vetch.

Elizabeth and Freesia use machetes on more rye and vetch, making a space for the new children's garden area.

Tonight Food Inc. is Showing on PBS @ 9:00

2010-04-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

Our Bluebird Man Checks the Houses He Installed

2010-04-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

Here's Rob's report when I asked if he'd check the bluebird houses:

The Middle Box; on the corner of the fence, has a nest and four bluebird eggs with a female in attendance. Let's not disturb that one at all from now on.

The one nearest your shed has the start of a bluebird nest.

The one on the top corner (near the lime pile)has a nearly complete nest. On my arrival two beautiful purple martins were sitting on the bex.

Guess what our next bird project is?

Plowing With Belle

2010-04-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

Not wanting to take up so much room at The Lord's Acre growing sweet corn (a crop that takes a lot from the soil, ties up space for a long time and has low yields comparatively), Franklin & Susan decided to plant this summer favorite at the upper garden at their house. The Sides borrow Belle the draft horse every few weeks from a neighbor to 'mow' their lawn and have plowed with her before. She's a gentle giant that's well-trained and quite patient. Since she was already at the Sides' and had finished 'mowing' it was a good time to turn over some earth. Here, Franklin shows our intern, Kelley, the ropes. Kelley's an experienced horsewoman so "gee"(turn right) and "haw" (turn left)came quite naturally to her.

An Experiment in Rye

2010-04-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

This week we began an experiment in a bed that had been 2/3 cover cropped with winter rye and hairy vetch all winter. One third was left bare all winter. We began by skimming off the cover crop using a sharpened spade but you can also use a knife. This left 2/3 of the bed in rye stubble. We then laid the just-cut rye/vetch back onto 1/3 of the bed as mulch. Next, Franklin marked the positions as to where the cabbage and broccoli transplants should go throughout the entire bed and on Wednesday worknight, volunteers planted. So now, one third of the bed is bare soil, one third is rye stubble and one third is mulched with rye that was cut down. We'll be keeping an eye on which section of the bed, if any, does best then trying to come up with reasons why that's so. Such experimentation is available to all of us and makes gardening all the more exciting.

Transplanted Collards & Cabbages

2010-04-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

The Art of Transplanting Vegetables

2010-04-17T08:50:00.000-07:00

By Susan Sides
(This article will appear in the May issue of the Fairview Town Crier)

Transplant: 1.) To uproot and replant 2.) To transfer from one place of residence to another, resettle, relocate.

You first have to be unsettled to be resettled. Many of us have been unsettled transplants at one time or another, moving from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Many of the folks The Lord’s Acre serves are transplants as well, whether that refers to residency, illness, or occupation. Sometimes all any of us needs is a little orientation and kindness to get our bearings in a new setting, while other times factors beyond our control make getting established much more difficult. Transplants of the vegetative kind aren’t really all that different. Thinking in these terms can make the difference between plants that thrive and those that adjust poorly to their new surroundings and continually struggle.

Whether your plants hale from your windowsill, greenhouse, or a nearby nursery, a little attention to their needs as they are settling in can make all the difference in how well they grow. The first step in doing this is to let the transplants get to know their new surroundings slowly. They need to get used to the fact that the garden is quite different from the greenhouse. To do this, set them outdoors some each day so they can experience direct sunlight, dew, light rain, light breezes, and changing temperatures. If frost or inclement weather threatens, be there to welcome them back in again. Once they’ve had a week or more of ‘hardening off,’ it’s time to transplant. That nurturing task is best done in the evening. A drizzly or “it’s going to rain tomorrow” evening is best. If you’re used to transplanting in the daytime, this tip alone will make a huge difference in how well your garden does.

As you’re gently transferring each young veggie-to-be into its newly troweled or dibbled hole, pay close attention to the roots. A C.A.R.E. package of compost and whatever soil amendments you’re using can be worked directly into the ground around where the plant will reside. Think of it as yourself as being the type of friend who brings meals over when someone who’s just moved is too overwhelmed to fix their own food. Next, loosen any tightly bound roots by pulling at them a bit from the sides and bottom (kind of like helping them unpack). Handle one plant at a time so young roots won’t dry out while waiting their turn. Some folks wrap the roots of a dozen or so transplants in a wet cloth as they work down the row for just this reason. Brassicas and tomatoes particularly appreciate their bottom leaves being pinched off and most vegetables like to be snuggly placed up to these lower leaves. I often make a little well with my fingertips when filling in the hole to create good contact between soil and roots and to create something of a shallow bowl for holding water.

If the soil is particularly dry, you’ll want to water the plants in after each half dozen or so are planted. If the soil is moist and the weather is cool, you can wait to plant the entire row or bed before watering them in. “Watering in” should consist of a long drink around the base of the plant, one that soaks the ground thoroughly. Leaves that remain wet overnight are more likely to get and spread disease so water the soil and not the leaves. Take care the water isn’t scalding if the hose has been in the sun all day. Continue watering daily if needed for a week, then let the roots ‘reach’ for deeper water before again soaking the ground with at least an inch of water per week.

Transplanting is one of the most tender of all gardening acts. It’s almost like that moment in parenting when you send your little babies off to the real world. And as with our own children, we want to do everything we can to help them. That way they’ll be better prepared to meet whatever comes their way.

Warren Wilson Students Finish the Job

2010-04-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Then the real work began. Students helped finish digging out the marked trenches, spaced the spuds down the rows, covered them with compost and then hoed the trenches in with soil.

Afterwards, we all shared a potluck meal together where we were better able to get to know one another. It was inspiring for Franklin, Steve and Susan to see and hear the passions of these students as they think about their lives and their place in making the world a place of more justice and more beauty.

Warren Wilson Students Plant Potatoes

2010-04-16T07:34:00.000-07:00

On April 3rd, Steve Norris, who teaches at Warren Wilson and who is also on the board of The Lord's Acre, brought the enthusiasm of some of his students to help us plant potatoes. Here students cut Kennebec and Red Pontiac seed potatoes into walnut-size pieces, each containing at least one 'eye'. Then they were dusted wih sulfur powder to prevent disease while sitting in the cool, spring soil.

Recent Student Comments

2010-04-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Recently a crew from Warren Wilson College came out to help us plant a quarter acre of potatoes. From cutting the seed potatoes to digging trenches to finally burying those humble spuds, the students worked with great enthusiasm and joy. Here are two students' comments:

"The Lords Acre garden helped me to understand how much of a problem fresh food is - but more importantly that I could actually do something to help out, to set an example for other struggling communities. This trip helped me to realize that Environmental Justice is not solely about legislation, but about the individual efforts of people in a community, about personal one-on-one interaction, development, and respect for the environment."

"For me, Lords Acre garden is a testament to the beauty and justness of community organizing for the greater good while respecting the land in a gentle appreciative manner....I respect them all the more for their using their deep breadth of knowledge to feed the hungry, inspire people to cultivate the bounty of the earth and to share their time."

Collards, Cabbages, and Asian Greens

2010-04-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Flying Cloud CSA in Fairview had lots of transplants leftover after their planting and donated scads of collards and some cabbages and Asian greens to The Lord's Acre. Here David Fletcher and Mike and Meggan Dale help plant them into a prepared bed. We plant them in such a configuration that when the leaves are mature, they just touch each other, thus shading the soil and choking out weeds while conserving soil moisture. Yesterday, while watering, I noticed the cabbage moths hoovering around. Soon it will be time to use a bit of Dipel to discourage the cabbage looopers. A good shot of fish emulsion, a little Chilean nitrate and some alfalfa tea is on order as well to boost their resistance.

April 2010 At The Lord's Acre

2010-04-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

On our second Wednesday worknight, Dawn (a new volunteer) helps plant garlic. I'll go ahead and embarass her a bit by saying what a great smile and positive attitude she has about whatever it is she's doing.

Here, Kelley Hurst, our first of three interns, waters in the peas and spinach. Kelley is just the perfect fit for the garden and our family. We are so appreciative of her eagerness and the fact that she's a quick study. She's been here three weeks and has done everything from digging beds to help install our new irrigation line and freeze-proof spigot.

We invite everyone to come out and participate in this incredibly beautiful garden. Sometimes we hear rumors that we have enough help. Nothing could be further from the truth. This garden is about food for those in need, community and education. It's about all of us working together and learning together and helping together. We hope to see you on Wednesday worknights from 6:00 - 8:00. We'll be adding another worknight soon and if you have a group that can help at another time, let us know. We can probably rearrange our schedules to make that happen.

Dan Folgeburg Sings Spring

2010-03-31T05:26:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d81t39QStow

Four Beds Were Sown Before The Rain

2010-03-28T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today's rain was welcome at our house. Folks showed up last week and helped get several beds dug and planted. We now have our Sugar Ann peas in the ground along with Danvers carrots, mustard, Red Ace beets and spinach. April 3rd, we'll plant potatoes when a crew from Warren Wilson College come out to help. Barring a freak freeze in April, we're off to a great start. Join us Wednesday, March 31st for our first "Official" work night from 6:00 - 8:00.

The Lord's Acre Sets 2010 Volunteer Times

2010-03-28T20:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Starting this week, it's official:

Wednesday Nights are Back

6:00 - 8:00

We'll slowly move into our full schedule as the need demands. In addition, within a few weeks we intend to have worknights on Mondays and harvest nights onThursdays as well. Because Food For Fairview opens its doors on Fridays, Friday mornings continues to be harvest day.

We think this schedule allows everyone more of an opportunity to find a night (or morning) that works for them. And since Thursday nights will be for pre-harvesting, everyone can now have the chance to experience the joy of seeing and harvesting the fruits of our labors. (Saturdays did not have a good showing last year so we will reserve Saturdays for large groups).

We will soon be announcing several educational opportunities as well. On Monday nights, at 6:00, there'll be a 20-minute mini-workshop pertaining to something happening in the garden that night. On Wednesdays at 6:00, we'll have a "Walk-About" - a quick walk around the garden while we talk outloud about what we see, what needs to be done, and what's going on in our minds as we look at each bed and the garden as a whole. So if you're wanting to beef up your gardening know-how in particular or understand the larger concept of TLA, plan to attend one or both of these volunteer nights. April Peterson, our volunteer coordinator, is also trying to line up 'big name' garden speakers once a month for hour-long workshops. We hope this emphasis on education helps.

One idea we're all behind this year is holding potlucks in the garden. We have a committee working on this and if you want to be part of helping make that happen, please let us know. From talking with other similar gardens, potlucks are a unifying factor and sharing a meal in the garden is a special way we can do this.

We look forward to seeing everyone from last year and all the new faces that have told us they're eager to join the three-fold mission of The Lord's Acre: food, community, education.

Sincerely,

Susan Sides

thelordsacre@gmail.com

What A Difference A Day Makes

2010-03-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

March 20th, 2010
Official first day of spring

vs

March 22nd, 2010

Even the daffodils get a dusting.

And so does the squill. Peas love a little snow though and
they're overdue for planting. This week? We hope so.

Welcome Home Spring

2010-03-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

March 20th. Spring -we've missed you! Franklin plowed the potato patch today and readied two beds. April 3rd will be potato planting day if the weather holds. We'll have a Warren Wilson crew helping us that day but all are welcome. As soon as we dry out from tomorrow's predicted rain, we'll hold this year's first workday. Keep an eye on the email list for notification.

Of Seeds and Squirrels' Ears

2010-03-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

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Like me, you probably began dreaming about this garden season sometime during one of those deep, winter snows when the possibility of weeds and early blight seemed as remote as a healthy economy. Or maybe you were too busy sledding, hiking, shoveling or shivering to notice. Either way, hello Fairview, it really is spring! March 20th was the official date though nature rarely agrees with the calendar. Neither do most gardening centers, which insist on putting out a first wave of broccoli, cabbage and even lettuce starts only weeks after the Super Bowl. Like the chlorophyll junkies we are, the lure of those little green veggie starts is just too great that time of year, even when we know it’s eight weeks too early to plant anything but favas outdoors.

So if neither the spring equinox nor the garden centers are of any help in determining planting dates, what is? You might think a planting dates chart (http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/NC/Asheville) is the answer and that’s a very good place to start. Such charts are based on the official planting zone chart (http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html). On the zone chart Fairview is considered zone six but then, so are parts of Texas, Missouri and Pennsylvania. Go figure.

Thankfully there’s a better way to know when to plant out – phenology. Phen who? Phenology is a fancy way of saying the things people have observed for eons. It was the passion of Carl Linnaeus (the father of plant taxonomy) and Aldo Leopold (A Sand County Almanac) and is studied by universities for its usefulness in predicting everything from planting dates to when allergy sufferers can expect a bad spring. Put simply, it is the area of science that looks at recurring biological phenomena and how they relate to weather. Bird migration, the appearance of insects, and the blooming cycles of wildflowers and trees are just some of what plays into the dance of phenology. This type of data has been recorded by laypeople and academics for centuries and has nothing to do with the folklore of Punxsutawney Phil or woolly worm forecasting.

Do you know someone who always plants their beans on Good Friday or their peas either on St. Patty’s day or when daffodils begin to bloom? Perhaps you’ve heard, “Plant corn when oak leaves are the size of squirrel’s ears,” or, “when the apple blossoms begin to fall.” While oak leaves, apple blossoms and squirrel’s ears have nothing to do with each other, the rule works. Farmers learned that by the time conditions were warm enough for oak leaves to reach the size of a squirrel’s ear, or for apple blossoms to fall, the soil was warm enough for corn seed to germinate without rotting in the soil. Until you get have a few years of observations under your belt, here’s a planting chart to get you started. http://www.veggieharvest.com/Vegetable-Planting-Calendar/zone-6-vegetable-planting-calendar/

Friday's Here But Sunday's Comin'

2010-03-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

This old saying pertains to the hope of Easter and I borrow it here for the hope of spring. Three 50lb bags of potatoes are sitting in our basement, ready to be cut up and planted. We'll need a big crew for that. The potato area soil is still too wet to plow and plant but with the few days of sunshine predicted, who knows.

Last week Reem's Creek Nursery donated some 2009 seed to add to our order. Lots of greens and pole beans in this tray just waiting for the soil to warm a bit. I had always waited till warm weather to plant beans until I learned that some folks swear by Good Friday as a planting date. It took a few years for me to get up my nerve but only once in the last fifteen years have I been disappointed. You might give it a try. An early planting like that seems to beat the bean beetles to the punch.

The First Tease of Spring

2010-03-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

We bought some new tools at this weekend's local Organic Grower's school. Volunteers will soon get to try out our new 7" and 5" stirrup hoes, potato hoes, compost fork, trowels and hand clippers.

March 9th is eleven days away from official spring but the ground was just right Tuesday so Franklin chisel plowed the new potato area which will allow the rain that's in the forecast, to drain. For all those who LOVED digging potatoes last year you'll be happy to know we're doubling the amount we're planting in 2010. And if your kids loved picking potato beetles, we'll have twice as many of those, as well. We're betting that several days after the rains, we can have our first worknight of the season so stay tuned.

Gardener's Poem by Karel Capek

2009-11-28T15:11:00.000-08:00

O Lord, grant that in some way
it may rain every day,
Say from about midnight until three o'clock
in the morning,
But, You see, it must be gentle and warm
so that it can soak in;
Grant that at the same time it would not rain on
campion, alyssum, helianthus, lavendar, and others which
You in Your infinite wisdom know
are drought-loving plants-
I will write their names on a bit of paper
if you like-
And grant that the sun may shine
the whole day long,
But not everywhere (not, for instance, on the
gentian, plantain lily, and rhododendron)
and not too much;
That there may be plenty of dew and little wind,
enough worms, no lice and snails, or mildew,
and that once a week thin liquid manure and guano
may fall from heaven.

Amen.

Wednesday Night Help

2009-10-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

Donna lends a hand taking okra stalks to the woods. We're so glad to have her on board. We didn't compost these because they'd take too long to break down.
Brotherly love helps us clear the garden of okra stalks.

It takes a village to take down the spent okra.

Pam's grandaughter was a big help. It was their first time in the garden and they score a TEN for work effort.

I Can't Believe It's Fall

2009-10-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

We're proud to say we're one of the very few gardens that are still full of produce with Halloween less than two days away. Behind the first bed of savoy cabbage is one of our beds that's already been put into cover crop. We sowed winter rye and hairy vetch together in the field crop area and in all beds as they come out of production. This puts nitrogen ito the soil (the vetch is a legume), prevents errosion over the winter, breaks up the soil via root action and gives us lots of biomass in the spring with which to make compost.

Kids made their own garden tags for their own raised bed gardens. Notice the new cultivar - "Rabish".

Franklin mulches the main pathway with hay that was brought over by The Chapel Door's hayride.

Another lush overview.

The Lord's Acre is Still Beautiful

2009-10-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's fall and the garden is still beautiful and still producing. We still have cabbage, kale, lettuce, beets, carrots and peas yet to harvest and it's October 29th 2009.

The kids' garden really produced this year. Last week alone we took a milk-box full of carrots, another of turnips and almost another of beets. Before that it was lettuce and chard.

Savoy cabbage -one of the most beautiful fall vegetables and one of the hardiest.

A bed of romaine ready to harvest at dawn tomorrow.

Growing Volunteers

2009-09-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

The Lord's Acre is in the business of growing volunteers and here's one of our finest crops. Jessica Tripp organized this group from Central Methodist Church to come out and give the garden a hand today. Photo by Ben Dement

Garden Color

2009-09-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

Photos by Ben Dement:

Kids in the Garden

2009-09-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

The Lord's Acre is for all ages. While digging weeds today, the kids from Central Methodist Church found all manner of treasures: forgotten potatoes, caterpillars, maypops that really pop, a few beautiful rocks and our first toad. One thing they looked for but didn't find was a spear point. So far, two have been found in the garden. Come on out and try your luck. Photos by Ben Dement

Saturday in the Garden

2009-09-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

The following photos were taken early morning by regular volunteer, Ben Dement with his Canon Rebel and keen eye.

Tons of Food

2009-09-03T14:07:00.001-07:00

Thank you to everyone: To Date we've donated aprox. 2 1/3 TONS of produce to Food For Fairview. Thank you for your donations of time, money, talent and equipment.

beans 5 bushels 150 lbs
beets 10 bushels 400 lbs
cabbage
carrots 4 bushels 120 lbs
corn 240 ears 400 lbs
cucumbers 4 bushels 220 lbs
kale
lettuce 510 heads 733 lbs
okra 1.25 bushels 19 lbs
peppers 10 bushels 290 lbs
potatoes 17 bushels 870 lbs
radishes 1.5 bushels 30 lbs
squash/ zucch. 11 bushels 460 lbs
Swiss Chard 6 bushels 120 lbs
tomatoes 2 bushels 96 lbs
turnips 9 bushels 450 lbs

A Few of The Lord's Acre Board Members

2009-09-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

April (on our board) and Larry talk over a bed of beets.

Pat (also on the board) thins lettuce seedlings and transplants them to another bed.

Steve (also on the board) harvests beans - plants and all.

Mike points out the wild passion flower growing in the kid's garden. They seem an appropriate symbol for this garden - a community's passion for feeding the hungry.

Volunteer Faces

2009-09-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

Kevin & Stephanie's first day in the garden. We put them right to work harvesting peppers. Lots and lots of peppers.

April thins beets and thinks through our Fundraiser's details in her head as she does.

David is game for any task and last night he tackled cutting down the spent cornstalks and bundling them into shocks for the fundraiser (Sept. 19th - 5:30 - 10:30 potuck, square dance, awesome raffle, pony rides and more)

Becky's contribution was digging the last of the potatoes and looking for any that others may have missed.

Wyeth & Dress Code

2009-09-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

If you're familiar with Andrew Wyeth's painting - Christina's World - you'll recognize our immitation here with "Salem's World". Volunteer, Salem Johnson, thins carrots and I couldn't resist capturing her unintentional immitation of Wyeth's painting.

Paul, Steve, and Larry swear they didn't coordinate ahead of time but they showed up with what they're touting as: The Johnny Cash Look OR the new dress code for The Lord's Acre.

That was until Mike Dale showed up with his awesome hat. For now, come as you are. All volunteers are welcome, even if you can't keep up with these style setters.

The Reason for the Deer Fence

2009-08-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday morning, Thomas and Paul spotted a doe and her nursing fawn in the field surrounding the garden. That night, volunteers were treated to two older fawns eating and cavorting in the same pasture. So far so good as far as the deer fencing goes. It's holding.

When It's Not Raining - We're Working

2009-08-29T18:05:00.000-07:00

April & Teddy work on finishing up the potato harvest.

Andrew, Mike, David & Paul work on digging, de-rocking and shaping what used to be the squash beds. Three days later, we have them in cabbage and kale starts donated by Flying Cloud Farm.

Andrew, Becky and Paul in a beautiful light as they work to shape the new beds.

Susan bags up the beans she harvested for delivery to Food For Fairview.

Thanks to everyone for pitching in while Franklin is recovering.

End of August Work

2009-08-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

Susan & Salem pick beans for harvest.

Kelsey harvests the last of the potatoes.

We pulled out lots of summer crops that were finished and are now planting fall and even spring crops.

David Fletcher - a steady, Wednesday night volunteer, pulls weeds and picks up rocks.

The Adults Weren't Just There To Supervise!

2009-08-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

The adults got their hands dirty as well. At one point I asked for a group of those who were non-squeamish. Certain ones rallied forward and were chosen to squish bean beetles and larvae. Educational and gory. How perfect.

From a distance, you could see the corn swaying gently and knew that folks were in the patch beating the racoons to the bounty. We picked close to 200 ears today alone.

Harvesting Potatoes

2009-08-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

The kids employed many tactics in finding every last potato in the patch. The job most adults seem to loath, they were keenest to do. We actually had to pull them off and make them stop.

This is only a partial load out of three truckloads. What a harvest God has blessed us with.

New Friends

2009-08-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

A group of thespians from School of the Arts in Winston Salem are camping out at Hickory Nut Gap Farm nearby and offered to help us at The Lord's Acre this week. They cut bamboo stakes all morning (a huge job and a huge help) and then took a tour of the garden. Thanks to Issak, Matt, Molly and Robin - if I got your names wrong, email me.

Today the middle school youth from Fletcher United Methodist came to help us harvest. And a harvest it was. Three truckloads! Food For Fairview clients were down today so we brought a truckload to Manna.

Corn, potatoes, carrots, beets, beans, squash, cukes, tomatoes, peppers and more.

The kids TRIED not to spray each other while washing the veggies. They were muddy and happy when they left. We couldn't have done it without them !!! Thanks guys & gals.

Green Thumbs in August

2009-08-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

Green thumb and fingers after working the tomato plants.

August bounty.

Our first corn harvest was July 31st and there's more to come. So far the racoons have stayed away.

Crops Coming In - August

2009-08-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

The okra is enjoying August weather. We had to replant after the hail this spring.

Our first bean harvest will be tomorrow morning. These were planted by volunteer - Holly.

We turned under our first crop of buckwheat a few weeks ago and it's returned as planned. Buckwheat is our summer cover crop this year and starts setting seed from the bottom up. Once we had enough seed set, Franklin turned it under and soon we had our second (free) crop.

Kid's Garden: A week and a half ago four kids planted three beds and you can see the results. They need to be thinned and need a little flea bettle control, but other than that, the kids are on their way to harvesting their own crop for the hungry.

Corn's Ready

2009-08-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

Last week we harvested three sacks of corn for the food bank with about thirty ears in each sack. In late spring, it was the first thing we planted and the young plants looked a bit forelorn, the only green tips sprounting in the entire half acre. Soon we sowed a second planting. Once the first batch was six-eight inches tall, hail hit and shredded the leaves but corn is a tenacious plant and it rallied as you can see.

Corn is actually a type of grass or grain and not a vegetable at all. The average ear has sixteen rows and averages about 800+ kernels per ear. Each thread of silk is attached to a potential kernel. If you sometimes see ears that are only partially filled out, poor pollination is the reason. Poor pollination can occur if corn isn't planted in blocks or if at that critical time, there is drought, hail or insect dammage. Luckily our dammage occured early and we're now able to add fresh sweet corn to our harvests.

The Lord's Acre on You Tube

2009-07-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

Summer in The Lord's Acre

2009-07-20T04:46:00.000-07:00

Meet Mallika. She'll be an intern for a whopping week and a half. She was working at a growing project in Gerton but heard about us and the garden's tie with feeding the hungry. We spent the weekend hiking and giving her a chance to work in the garden and meet all of us and amazingly she STILL wants to work here so she moved in yesterday. Sadly, on the 29th, she has to go back to college.

We've also been starting seeds here at our house for the fall crops: lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, collards. If we were to plant them directly into the garden, the heat, mice, and insects would probably take their tole on such young plants. Here we're able to nurture them until they're ready for real life in the garden.

Look What You're Missing....

2009-07-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hear no dirt, smell no dirt, speak no dirt. We had FOURTEEN people working in the garden this past Wednesday evening. Thanks volunteers!!!!

Our Third Harvest

2009-07-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

Today was our third harvest and so far we've harvest close to 480 heads of lettuce, two large boxes of Swiss chard, three large boxes of radishes and a box of peppers and squash. Here our male scarecrow keeps watch over the new quadrant beds. He needs a name so feel free to submit any clever ideas.

How To Find The Garden

2009-07-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

If you're new to the garden, you can find us by turning onto Joe Jenkins Road, (Near Trout Lily and Caty Corner to Angelos) and pulling into the parking lot of The Chapel Door which you'll quickly see on your left. The Lord's Acre is NOT the unfenced garden adjacent to Joe Jenkins Rd. You can't see our garden from the road or from the church.

Park in the Chapel Door parking lot and you'll see a white cross on a hill in the pasture behind the church. That marks their meditation garden. Hike up to the meditation garden and as you crest that little hill, you'll see The Lord's Acre. The electric double deer fence is off when volunteers are present but please use caution until you're sure it's off. There'll be a wooden gate for you to enter by. (If you do happen to come out when no one is working, please close all gates, be careful where you walk, do not allow children to run free in the garden and please refrain from smoking in the garden - since it spreads disease.)

2009-07-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

The buckwheat cover crop and the sunflowers are really looking great.

The zucchini is really starting to produce.

We have a journal now at the shed, so please do write about your experience working in the garden, your thoughts, or anything you wish to write about when you come out to visit.

2009-07-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

We harvested lettuce, peppers, squash, zuccinni, and swiss chard today for the Food For Fairview food bank.

Here's a partial snapshot of the garden.

Our newest addition is the kids garden, where the kids can come with mom and/or dad to have their own fun.

The corn is looking great!

Saturday Work Day

2009-06-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

Planting beans.

Mike plants a bed in bush beans.

The Rainbow Swiss chard recovered from the hailstorm and is flourishing.

Franklin works on our rainwater system.

Meet The Lord's Acre Interns

2009-06-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

Paul Horton comes to us with a background in cooking and a real passion for plants. He's usually at the garden early and works well past his alloted hours. With a quick wit and a keen sense of humor, he makes the work fly by for the rest of us and keeps the plants in good spirits. We accuse him of having fallen in love with Fairview and he does not protest.

Philip Johnson has also been smitten by all that is Fairview. Though a redhead, he tends towards the quiet side and is quite the worker. He too is an early riser and is often in the garden before the sun spills onto the beds. Both men receive no pay for their internship but serve willingly to help the hungry and learn gardening. The community has graciously offered many part-time paying jobs. If you have such a job for Paul or Phillip, you can email them at: thelordsacre@gmail.com

Squares & Chairs

2009-05-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

The calm before the storm. The women's musical chairs was particularly cutthroat but the ending was elegant.

The men's was just downright dirty.

We Kick Up Our Heels @ the Square Dance Fundraiser

2009-05-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you for helping us make our first square dance fundraiser a huge success. Two hundred adults plus children endured a rainy potluck to play on the dance floor. Here people peruse tables of great food, sometimes with umbrellas in hand.

The porch of Sherrill's Inn was a popular and crowded place to dine.

The incredible and gracious band played till well into the evening.

We kicked up our heels (to varying degrees) in celebration.

Getting in the Corn

2009-05-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a good view of the almost-finished shed Steve Norris built with help from the community. Our corn crop was late this first year but we plan on getting several in before it's all over.

Outstanding In Their Field

2009-05-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

Young and old and everyone in between are invited to help grow food for the hungry. Whether you're a master gardener or have two brown thumbs, there's a niche for you at The Lord's Acre. Check our website for volunteer times and dates.

Potato Planting

2009-05-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

There's been much activity in The Lord's Acre since interns Paul Horton and Phillip Johnson arrived on the scene. Here we squeeze in a potato planting between storms on one end and an outdoor wedding near the garden on the other. Paul dusts the potatoes with sulfur.
We tease Phillip that he's doing a potato jig here.

Volunteer, Gabriel helps Phillip get-r-done.

Gabe's mom, Rebecca, helps lay out those long rows of spuds.

Garden Shed & Picking Rocks

2009-04-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

So far, Stevie is the number one reason we'll be seeing less rocks in the beds this year. Hopefully he'll have more help next work day.
Shed planner supreme, Steve Norris, and helper Larry, take a morning to make sure we have somewhere to store the yet-to-be-donated tools.

Another shot of the shed with the garden in the background.

Next work day is April 4th - wait - that's tomorrow.